[PhilBiker]

Once you accept that there is no future you can start to appreciate the present all the more. Do stuff with friends and family. Go on that bike ride or hiking trip, go visit the folks or whoever, don't wait for tomorrow because it might not be there.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'H')e said the people who actually did best in these awful conditions were the ones who could escape mentally, into other realms-- the artists, writers, fantasy prone.

[threadbear]

Unknown Element, The concentration camp tested a person's vitality, will and spirit. Up to a point, this would serve the tough pretty well. After that though, the challenge was effectively over and a complete no-hope scenario prevailed. It was in this situation that one had to imagine or picture a pleasant parallel universe. In this case, being "tough" didn't cut it. That personality type is very dynamic, and prevails in situations where sheer will and effort is involved. But in a setting where life is stripped of all meaning and mode of expression,being a starry eyed, effete weirdo ended up extending your life.

What surprised me about Frankl's description of this phenomenon is, it is the polar opposite of what most people would expect.

An exception to this would be the "capos" in the camps who did the bidding of their captors by playing an oppressive role where their fellow prisoners were concerned. They were tough, iron-willed and would "do anything" to extend their lives. This is about all you could do, in that case. Some of them did survive and likely have great guilt to deal with. I wonder if their guilt is merited in these conditons though.

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

Considering the situation and all the elements that come into play (trauma, stockholm syndrom) I doubt that any but the sociopathic would have guilt to deal with.

Even when faced with a do or die scenario you would likely carry these events for the rest of your life. Then they probably got to deal with survivor guilt. Did he have anything to say about that?